


Death, Birth, and Reawakenings

by lostinmymindforever



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Demons, F/M, M/M, Mates, Multi, Self Insert, Semi-Bad!Fic, True Origins, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-01-03 15:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1072180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinmymindforever/pseuds/lostinmymindforever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a reality where Xander and Willow are demon's in human form, odd things happen. A 2300 year old demon being raised in human form by vampires and the loss Spike felt at her death </p><p>(originally written back in 2002/2003)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Death, Birth, and Reawakenings

**Author's Note:**

> Author Notes: This all started with my friends Scane (the creator of Demetri, Daemion and Dominic) and his wife Marie (Jessica, Ethan and Kristen's creator). Without these two and my mom reading over some parts I probably wouldn't have finished it.  
> Story Notes: starts in 1981 and progresses to a majorly A/U first and second season. The anointed one doesn’t die in the beginning of second season.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except Aerithika, Xandria or Railian

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

London, August 1981

Aerithika sat alone in a crowd of hundreds of humans. No one understood her pain. The hunger burning in her gut as she watched them go along their blissfully short lives. As old as she was, she in many ways envied them. She knew she had what many of them wanted, but at what price.

A single tear ran down her cheek as she watched her youngest mate, Spike, walk over to her. In his hand he held a stake.

"Pet, are you sure you want me to do this?" he asked his voice shaky. "I don't want to kill you, luv."

"Please just do it."

He gave her a kiss and a last hug and drove the stake into her heart. As her body faded away he began to cry. "I'll find you again, my love."

 

Wisconsin, October 1984

It had taken him three years, but find her again he did. He could tell who she was, even though she looked so different. She smiled at him, her small face lighting up as she waved at him. Of course she didn't know who he was, but he seemed familiar to her.

"Mama," she asked, "who's that pretty man?"

Her mother looked over at Spike and saw he was watching her daughter. She shot him a dirty look, picked up her daughter and walked off saying, "No one you want to meet dear."

Spike lit up a cigarette and walked over to the payphone. He dialed a number he had called almost everyday for the last three years.

"Hello. This had better be damn important or I'm hanging up asshole," an angry voice grumbled sleepily on the other end.

"Oh it is, Demetri," Spike answered.

"What now Spike?" the demon asked impatiently.

"I found her."

"What? Who did you find, Spike?" Demetri asked, still half asleep.

"Aerithika, you bloody poof. Who else could I be talking about? But there's one little problem," Spike answered angrily.

"First, you're an ass Spike. And second, what's the problem?"

"Umm, her mother, you wanker. What am I supposed to do with the stupid bint. The minute she saw me she grabbed Aeri, and took off. Don't think I can get close to her with her mum there. What do you think I should do about her, mate?"

"Kill her and take 'Aeri,' Spike," Demetri answered, half picking on Spike's choice of nickname for his longtime friend and, unknown to her, his daughter.

"And end up with her hating me, Demetri? I think not. Besides don't you think it would be a little odd raising my own mate? Don't want her calling me daddy, well not in that connotation," Spike sighed.

"Listen, I'll talk to Jessica and call you back, okay, Spike. Wait you'll have to call me. Tomorrow, okay."

"Yeah, tomorrow. Thanks Demetri. Umm, sorry about waking you up. Send Jessica my love. Bye," with that Spike hung up the phone and walked to his car.

 

"Who was that Demetri?" his wife, Jessica, asked as he crawled back into bed.

"Spike. He found Aerithika, but is at a loss at what to do with her human mother. Told him I'd talk to you to figure out what to do with her.”

"We could always arrange for her to have and accident and then take care of Aerithika. That way Spike doesn't have the whole 'I'm raising my own mate, I'm a twisted little fuck' complex going and we can prepare her for her future. Plus, you should be the one raising her, she is your daughter."

"That's brilliant," Demetri said, kissing his wife.

 

Spike looked out the window and saw it was dark enough to go out. He went to the nearest payphone and called Demetri.

"So what's the plan, mate?"

Demetri explained Jessica's idea and Spike thought it was incredible.

"So the bitch has an accident, you take Aerithika, and I have plenty of visitation with her. Tell Jessica she's brilliant."

Spike told Demetri where he was and where Aerithika was.

"All we have to do is make sure Aerithika has no clue we were behind this."

"Oh that can be arranged, Demetri. See you soon," on the last word he looked over to see Demetri and Jessica standing a few feet away, having hung up the phone and teleported to him. "I hate when you do that, guys."

Demetri smirked and Jessica could barely hold back her giggles. "Oh, we know that, Spike," Demetri said, "Why do you think we do it."

 

The three of them went back to the apartment that Spike had 'liberated' off of a recent kill, to plan a little accident.

"Arson?" asked Jessica.

"No, we'd need a body for it to look good," Demetri said as he paced the room.

"True," said Jessica.

"Car crash?" Spike asked.

"Too much work," answered Demetri.

"How about shooting her?" Jessica asked, lighting up a cigarette.

"Lacks poetry," Spike muttered, running his fingers through his peroxide blond locks.

"'Wild dog attack'," Demetri suggested.

"No, Demetri, not dogs, wolves," Jessica smirked.

All three agreed that it would work. Demetri and Jessica would teleport into Aerithika's home, teleport Aerithika out and then rip her mother to shreds, while Spike watched Aerithika.

They decided to execute the plan the following evening after Spike had fed.

 

Aerithika awoke to see the 'pretty man' watching her fondly. She was a little scared not to be in her bedroom, but as soon as he smiled at her she calmed down. "What's your name?" she asked, sticking her thumb in her mouth.

"Spike," he answered, picking the tiny child up.

"That's a funny name," she giggled. "What's your real name?"

He smiled down at her, "It's William, Princess."

"'Kay," she replied, yawning. "I'm Dina. You're pretty."

Shortly thereafter she fell asleep. 

Spike himself had fallen asleep rocking her.

 

When Demetri and Jessica walked in they noticed how cute they looked and took a photo to tease Spike with later. Jessica picked up a blanket and covered the sleeping duo.

"Shouldn't we just take her and go, Jessica?" Demetri asked, puzzled at her actions.

"Not yet dear. She hasn't been introduced to us yet and will probably be scared if we don't explain ourselves. Besides, I want to tease Spike when he wakes up."

 

At about seven a.m. the next morning, Dina woke up, still snuggled up to Spike. She reached her little hand up and traced her fingers across his scarred eyebrow. She giggled at the low rumbling purr that was coming from him.

Spike was waken up by the three year old's giggling."Morning, Princess," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "You hungry, pet?"

"Uh-huh," she replied, smiling. "You were purring like a big kitty."

Spike walked her over to the kitchen, where Demetri and Jessica sat drinking coffee.

"Sleeping Beauty awakes," Demetri said, snickering at Spike.

"Do shut up, wanker," Spike mumbled grumpily.

 

Dina sat chomping down on her bowl of super sugary cereal. When she was finished she looked over at Jessica and Demetri and then back over at Spike.

"Who are they, Wil?" she asked, a puzzled look on her face.

"That's Jessica and that's Demetri," he said pointing at them.

"'Kay. Where's mommy?"

"She had an accident, Princess. You'll be staying with them."

"'Kay. Can we go to the park?"

Jessica handled that question, "I'll take you. Wil can't go out in the sun, it makes him sick."

Dina looked sad at this. Then an idea formed in her young mind, "Jessica and I can go to the park and play and then Wil and I can have snuggles. And we can go to the park when it's dark, Wil," she said a bright smile on her face.

Demetri laughed at he solution. " I couldn't have planned that better myself," he said picking her up.

She hugged him, giggling, "'Kay Uncle D," she gave him a puzzled look. "Can I have my toys and clothes?"

The vampire and two Narins realized they would need to get her her things. "While you two play I'll get them for you," Demetri replied.

 

Sunnydale, August 1986

Jessica smiled at her husband as he walked with Dina to the car. It was her first day of kindergarten and she was excited to be with other children. She was wearing the new outfit she had received from Spike as a birthday present a few days prior.

When she got home from school she was positively glowing. "Auntie Jess, Uncle D, guess what?" she was practically bouncing in her seat, " I made some friends today. They're really nice. One's Willow and one's Xander and one's Jesse. Can I go out and play with them? They're gonna be at the park."

Jessica and Demetri smiled at their little charge.

"Of course you can. I'll take you over there," said Jessica, walking her to the car. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunnydale, April 1997

Spike walked along the side walk watching Dina and her friends from a distance. Twelve years had passed since he had found her and she had come to live with Demetri and Jessica. Over those years he came to see her less and less, as she had matured and became more and more like Aerithika in appearance and mannerisms.

He recognized two of her longtime friends as Willow and Xander, but the new blond girl with him he didn't know. He saw a familiar face watching them from a distance. Lighting up a cigarette, he walked over to his Sire.

"Angelus, what brings you to Sunnyhell?"

"None of your business, Spike. Why are you here?"

"I'm visiting, Angelus. That and making sure Aerithika is safe," he replied, motioning over at the teens.

"Aerithika?" Angel asked, shocked.

"Yeah. Gotta go, mate."

With that Spike took off in the direction the teens had went.

Xander was the first to notice him as he walked up to them.

"Hey, Wil. Good to see you man, How long you staying in town this time?" he asked shaking Spike's hand.

Spike knew something was up by the tone of Xander's voice and the smirk on Dina's face.

"Yeah, Wil," Dina purred in a very Aerithika way, "not leaving soon this time I hope."

"Oh, bloody hell, you know don't you, pet?"

"Uh-huh," Dina replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately.

"How?" the stunned vampire asked.

"Simple. Party. Spin the bottle. Xander. Me. Get it babe?" she smirked.

"Does Demetri know yet, luv?"

"He doesn't have a clue."

"Umm, Dina, who's this?" the blond asked.

"Oh, this is Wil. Wil, this is Buffy, the Slayer."

"Bloody hell!" Spike shouted, "You are hanging around with the fucking Slayer. Have you totally lost your damn mind! You're a demon, you don't make friends with the Slayer," during his tirade Spike had slipped into gameface.

Aerithika pouted, running her fingers across his face. "This isn't the first time I've done this babe. And you know it, mister."

Xander laughed, and muttered something that sounded vaguely like “Watcher” under his breath.

Buffy pulled out her stake, only to have Xander grab it away from her.

"What are you doing, Xander?" she asked angrily.

"Keeping an old friend of mine safe. Buffy, he's made sure we were safe since we were little kids. Yeah, he's a vampire. But he's also family to us."

Buffy looked shocked at this. "Come on Xander, he's a vampire, a killer. He must have had some ulterior motive."

"Oh I did," Spike said. "It was making sure my wife, one of her children and one of our mates were taken care of."

"Besides, Buffy, you know that mysterious guy you keep talking about, Angel, well he's a vampire too."

"What?"

"He's my Sire, Slayer."

"And another one of my mates," Aerithika threw in.

"My god. You are all insane to trust a vampire," Buffy shouted.

"Umm, Buffy, he's younger than all three of us," Willow said motioning at her two longtime friends, one of them her mother.

 

As fate would have it the two people that Aerithika would least want to overhear this conversation, were walking by and had heard every word. Demetri was pissed as was to be expected. He stormed over and grabbed Aerithika. "You didn't have the decency 

to tell me!" he roared, fangs showing. "And you," he pointed at Buffy, "need to leave now. This is a family discussion. Come on! We're going home. NOW!"

"Do we have to come too?" Willow asked nervously.

"Yes. You. Do!" Demetri hissed. 

With that three teenage Khanarins, two Narins, and one vampire took off, leaving a very stunned Slayer alone wondering when she had crossed over into a living nightmare.

 

They were all seated in the living room; Jessica and Willow in chairs and Spike, Aerithika and Xander on the couch, with Demetri pacing back and forth like a caged tiger.

"First, I am not pissed at Spike or Willow, though I am wondering how you were reawakened. Second, I thought I told you NO parties with games like that. And third why didn't you tell us and why are you hanging around with the Slayer?"

"Alright, here's what happened: a: I didn't know she was the slayer, at first. b: Sorry about the party. c: Was waiting for the right time to tell you. d: I reawoke my daughter. e: Please don't be mad at us, it just happened," Aerithika responded.

Demetri glared at her and lit up a cigarette. 

 

Demetri punched the wall placing a nice sized hole in it. He pointed and Willow and Xander, "You two go home." Pointing at Aerithika, "You go to your room."

"What? Why?"

His look made it clear that he meant what he said and she would obey him. She stormed up to her room, slamming the door.

"I'm going out," Demetri said, leaving the house.

"Well this bloody sucks," Spike said to Jessica.

"Spike, watch the house. I'm going out as well."

 

As soon as she was out the door, Spike ran up the stairs and was knocking on Aerithika's door.

"They're gone, pet, let me in."

The door opened and Spike found himself dragged in the room a tearful Aerithika in his arms.

 

Demetri prowled around town, growling at all who passed him. He stormed into the nearest graveyard, knocking over tombstones and beheading every fledgling vampire he ran into.

He felt someone approach and was about to lash out when he heard, "Demetri, please calm down."

He turned quickly to face his wife. His face was hard. " So where's Spike?" he asked.

"At our place," she responded.

He grabbed her, "You left him alone with Aerithika!"

"Oh, shit. I wasn't thinking."

They raced back to their house, only to see a bright blue flash of light from Aerithika's bedroom window. Running up to Aerithika's room, Demetri kicked in the door to see the 

two Khanarins together. Jessica followed close behind, gasping in shock. Aerithika reached out her hand and knocked Demetri and Jessica out of the room, the door slamming in front of them. Aerithika quickly dressed and gave Spike a quick kiss. "I'll be 

back," she said, then teleported out.

 

Xander and Willow sat in the living room of Willow's house chatting about what had happened, when Aerithika teleported in.

"Aerithika," Xander said as she grabbed him and dragged him to the guest bedroom.

 

"How could they?" Demetri shouted, throwing a mug against the wall, shattering it.

"We'll talk to her when you calm down. Okay, Demetri," Jessica said putting her hand on his shoulder. Then she went and poured herself a cup of coffee.

 

With a smile on her face Aerithika left Willow's house, walking with a slight skip down the streets of Sunnydale. She felt a sharp pain in her gut and knew she has to feed. Spying a young man walking alone, she stalked over to him. When she got close enough she grabbed him, her fangs appearing. Turning his head for the best angle, she bit down hard. He tried to get away but his struggles were pointless. Her eyes rolled back in utter bliss as his blood ran down her throat. 

Licking her lips she dropped his corpse and with a flick of the wrist set it ablaze. 

She teleported back to her room, where Spike was still waiting for her. He pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her. With a smile on her face she fell asleep in his arms. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Demetri and Jessica came downstairs they heard noise coming from the kitchen. 

Spike sat at the table dressed only in boxers, reading the morning paper and chatting with Aerithika. She was busy making breakfast and was dressed for school. She leaned over and kissed Spike, running her fingers through his hair.

Demetri cleared his throat, breaking up the two Khanarins.

"Morning, Demetri. Trust you slept well," Spike said with a cocky grin on his face, " I know I did."

"Breakfast is ready," Aerithika said with a slight grin.

"I bet it will be delicious, pet. Just like you." Spike pulled Aerithika onto his lap, running his hands down her back, sucking on her neck.

"Spi-ike," Aerithika whined, "keep that up and I'll be late for school."

"Don't care," he mumbled from his vantage point on her neck, "call in sick."

"She can't," Jessica said in an icy tone.

Spike sunk his fangs into Aerithika's neck and her eyes rolled back in pleasure. Pulling away from her neck, he kissed her, the taste of her blood still in his mouth. She bit back a moan when his mouth returned to her neck.

"Okay. That's enough," said Demetri through clenched teeth.

"Spoilsport," Spike hissed.

"Aerithika. Go. To. School. Now."

"Fine," she sighed.

"Pet, I'll pick you up from school today," Spike said with a quick kiss.

 

Aerithika walked down the halls of Sunnydale High towards the library. She was going to meet Xander and Willow there. As she walked in she saw Buffy talking with her Watcher.

"They're demons, Giles. We have to find out what kind and how I can slay them."

"We are Khanarins, Buffy," Aerithika said approaching the Slayer, "and you can't slay us. Besides, like I told Wil last night, I have helped Slayers in the past. If you don't believe me, have Giles look me up in the Watchers Journals under the name Aerithika."

At that moment Xander and Willow walked in and the three of them left for their first class.

"I'll look her up, Buffy. You should get to class."

"I still don't like this," Buffy said as she left the library to head to class.

 

Willow, Xander and Aerithika headed outside after school was over to find Spike waiting out front. Aerithika smiled, running over to him.

"How was school today, luv?" Spike asked wrapping his arms around her. "You two need a ride home?"

"No, we're fine," Xander said, waving him off, noticing the look on Spike's face.

When they got back to the house Aerithika noticed that Demetri and Jessica were not home. As if reading her mind, Spike said, "They went away for a while. Won't be back until next week Saturday. That means we have the house alone for the next ten days."

"And what are we going to do while they are gone?" she asked as he picked her up and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next ten days passed in a flash for them. In that time Spike had bought a house and Aerithika had moved most of her belongings there. They had formed a truce with Buffy, knowing they all had bigger enemies to face. Xander had moved in, after the tragic death of his parents. Of course, he wasn't that upset about it considering that they were a couple of alcoholic, abusers who he had wanted dead long before his reawakening and turning, that and the fact that it had been he and Spike who killed Anthony and Jessica Harris. They used the house as the new Slayer headquarters, so no one could ask too many questions at the school. Angel even came to terms with how things were going.

But they all worried what Demetri and Jessica would say when they got back from their little trip away.

 

Demetri stormed into the house, Jessica not far behind. "Aerithika," Demetri bellowed. He went up to her room and noticed most of her things were missing. Coming down the stairs he saw her walk in, Xander, Spike, Willow, and the Slayer, Buffy behind her.

"You're home," she said brightly. "How was your trip?"

"It was shit. Elizabeth and Nick had captured Dominic. We had to go rescue him. Plus we wanted to calm down a bit."

"What a bitch."

"You said it. And now the question of the day is. WHERE! ARE! YOUR! THINGS?"

"Over at my place," Spike replied. "We just came to pick up a book for research.” He grabbed said book and they left.

 

With a heavy sigh, Demetri slumped back onto the couch. Rubbing his temples he looked over at the front door. "Jessica, is it just my imagination or was the Slayer just in our 

house?"

"It wasn't your imagination," Jessica said, sitting next to him.

"When Aerithika gets home I'm gonna have a word with her about socializing with the enemy," he said lighting up a cigarette. "I thought I taught her better than that."

"What book did they get?"

"Not a clue. But they had better get it back in one piece."

There was a knock at the door and Demetri walked over to answer it.

"Hello, Father," said a very beat up looking Daemion, before passing out.

 

Aerithika walked slowly back towards her home, hair blowing in the breeze. She felt that someone was following her but kept her pace slow and even.

She felt a hand grab her shoulder and quickly turned around to face a vampire. She smirked in the vampire's face, laughing as her face shifted.

"You stupid fool," she hissed, grabbing the vampire by the throat. "Don't you have a clue who you are dealing with, Darla?"

Darla's eyes grew wide in shock, realizing her fatal mistake.

Aerithika grinned wickedly as she sunk her fangs into Darla's neck, ripping it wide open. Darla screamed in pain and outrage as Aerithika continued her assault.

Driving a stake into Darla's heart, a bloody Aerithika went home.

 

Daemion sat at the kitchen table, drinking a mug of blood, and was shocked at Aerithika's appearance as she walked in. 

At the same time they both asked, "What the hell happened to you?"

They both laughed.

"I was jumped by a pack of idiot demons who had a problem with my father," Daemion said, running a hand through his shaggy black hair. "So, what happened to you?"

"Oh, nothing so exciting as you. Just a very messy killing of a bitch vampire," she lit up a cigarette. "Well, I have to go get cleaned up. I have a date, with Xander and Spike. Umm where's your father?"

"Out after those demon punks," Daemion said laughing. "Can I have one of those?"

"Sure," Aerithika replied handing him a cigarette, then headed out of the kitchen, not knowing Daemion was watching her with a half hurt look about the words 'date' and 'Xander and Spike" being in the same sentence. He had always had a crush on her, and the two of them had a past together, one which included their son and daughter, Graham and Ana. She went upstairs to go get ready and when Daemion heard the shower start he rushed to the guestroom and blasted the music to cover the sound of him repeating, "What does she see in them?" over and over. 

Demetri and Jessica walked into their house covered in demon gore. They both needed a shower, being covered almost head to toe in the slime. They heard the shower running and the stereo from the guestroom blasting at top volume.

The shower turned off and the hairdryer turned on. About fifteen minutes later, a very made up Aerithika came out and walked to her room.

Jessica rolled her eyes and Demetri shook his head as her stereo was turned on as well.

 

Daemion heard her turn on her radio grinning at her choice of music. Lighting up one of the cigarettes he had stolen from his father's pack, he leaned back on the bed. Finishing the cigarette he fell into a deep sleep, dreams of Aerithika dancing in his mind.

 

After ten minutes in her room, Aerithika turned off the music and came out.

"Hi, Demetri. Hi, Jessica," she said as she passed them. "I'm heading out. I'll be back around noon tomorrow. Later. Bye," with that she ran out the door, leaving an angry looking Jessica and Demetri behind.

 

Xander, Aerithika, and Spike walked out of the Movie Theater. If asked they couldn't have told you what movie they had seen for they had been too busy throwing popcorn, making out, and just being plain obnoxious to pay attention. For instance, when Aerithika had returned from getting the popcorn refilled she noticed that Xander had taken her seat and he had his hands shoved down Spike's pants. Another time when Xander had gone to get their sodas refilled he came back to see Spike and Aerithika heavily making out and getting odd stares from all those around them. The whole theater saw what they were doing and they were surprised that they hadn't been kicked out. But they had had fun, so it was all good. Tossing their trash they headed to the Bronze to meet up with Buffy, Willow, and Angel. They spent the next two hours there, dancing. The three of them were getting odd looks but they didn't mind. Xander even told Cordelia off when she made a comment about his choice of dates. After the Bronze they went on a quick patrol each of them killing at least one vampire.

It was still early, well according to them, when Buffy and Willow headed home and the three of them headed over to Willy's. After a few hours when they were all completely drunk they headed home. They were to drunk to do anything other than touch each other, but as the sun began to rise the three naked Khanarins crawled into the king-sized bed. When they woke up later that morning they all broke up laughing.

 

A little after noon Aerithika walked in the door to find Demetri and Jessica waiting for her. Eyes flashing, Demetri quickly crossed the room, grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall, " Who the hell do you think you are?" he screamed in her face.

Aerithika panicked, eyes wide in terror. Her pulse quickened as he rose his fist and a sickening crunch was heard as it came in contact with her face. Tears and blood streamed down her face as his blows continued. When he had finished her shirt was covered in her own blood and her throat was raw from her screams. She limped up the stairs to her room holding her stomach, the only place he hadn't hit.

 

Daemion watched, helplessly, as his father brutally attacked Aerithika, rage burning deep inside him. He ran up the stairs to her room and pulled her into his arms. "That fucking bastard," he whispered into her hair, "he'll pay for this."

"Why do you care?" Aerithika asked.

'Can't tell her the truth, can't tell her the truth,' he thought. "Don't know. I shouldn't give a damn. But I do. I think that it's because of the kids." 'Good she doesn't know.'

"Thank you. Oh, damn I'm sore. Shit, Daemion, your shirt is ruined."

'She's just been brutally beaten and she's worried about a shirt I stole from dinner.' "I don't care about the shirt Aerithika. Wait here," he said walking to the door, "I'm just going to get the first aid kit." 'And figure out how I'm going to handle this.'

He grabbed the kit and walked back to her room. After cleaning up her wounds, and giving her something for the pain, Daemion gathered her in his arms rocking her gently and whispering comforting words to her. 'At least she didn't lose that much blood, thank gods.'

 

Jessica came up a few hours later to see her son and Aerithika asleep on the bed. Demetri had left to calm down and she hoped they would wake up before he got home. Even in his sleep, Daemion was rubbing Aerithika's back in small comforting circles.

She quietly closed the door and went downstairs to the kitchen. Pouring herself a strong drink and lighting up a cigarette she sank down into a chair, tears of pain over the last few weeks rolling down her face. Too much was happening at once and it was driving Demetri mad. He had mellowed out a lot since Aerithika had moved in with them, but now that she was back to full demonic being, he had begun to crack. She just hoped that nothing else would go wrong, for she knew that Demetri might strike out at her as well.

 

Demetri knew something was up the minute he saw Jessica passed out in the living room, a half empty bottle of alcohol in her hand and two empty ones in the kitchen sink. Jessica rarely drank and when she did it was only a few at a time. He looked over when he felt a presence watching him and heard a deep growl coming from the door way to see Daemion looking at him with undisguised rage and hatred. Fangs bared and hands in fists, Daemion charged at him. He got in one punch before Demetri threw him off of him.

"What the fuck is your problem, Child?" he spat.

"You. You worthless piece of shit. How could you? I hate you!" Daemion howled trying to attack him once more.

Demetri grabbed his son's fist as it neared him, shattering the bones effortlessly.

"How dare you?" Demetri growled. "You are my son and a guest in my fucking house. You will live by my rules or so help me I'll kill you myself."

He pushed his son to the floor and gave him a sharp kick to the ribs. "Don't think I won't do it, boy. You're living on borrowed time."

Daemion picked himself up, tears streaming down his face and ran up the stairs.

Demetri looked at the ceiling and muttered, "What did I do to deserve this?"

Picking up an empty bottle, Demetri flung it at the wall, the shards flying back at him and scratching his face.

Hearing Daemion's curses from upstairs, Demetri grabbed the bottle out of Jessica's hand, downing it all in one large gulp.

 

Spike and Xander were walking past the house when both were sickened by the smell of fear, anger and rage pouring out of it. Their eyes flashed and Spike was about to rush in when Xander pulled him back.

"Why are you stopping me?" he roared.

"You can't go in there, not now. With as bad as I'm assuming it is in there, you'll only end up getting yourself killed," he answered.

"I have to do something," Spike said slumping his shoulders in defeat.

"Think about it, Spike. What's going on in there isn't our fight as much as we want to make it ours. We can not interfere. I've know Demetri a hell of a lot longer than you have and I know his temper. Hell I've been on the receiving end of it more than once. It's not our business," with that Xander walked off, Spike walking slightly behind him, grumbling about kicking the 'no good, black -haired, Narin’s ass' from here to next week Sunday. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Screaming at the top of his lungs, Daemion tossed a lamp across the room. He plopped down on the bed next to Aerithika, tears of rage running down his face onto his bloodstained shirt. Aerithika placed her head on his shoulder, her own tears mixing with his. Two pairs of green eyes locked and Daemion sucked in a shaky breath.

Snaking his fingers into her long red locks, Daemion pulled her face to his. He knew he was damning himself in his family’s eyes, and would pay for what he was doing. Aerithika wouldn’t, for she had no clue Demetri was her father. 

Two hurt souls found a brief relief from a storm of pain and rage. Though they had never really gotten along in the past, they knew that all that was behind them. When they fell asleep in each others arms, both had sad smiles on their faces. 

 

Monday morning came and a still injured Aerithika went to school. She got looks from all her teachers and classmates and was pulled into the library by Buffy to find out what was wrong. Xander kept telling her that she needed to move out of Demetri's house and in with him and Spike.

After school was even worse as Spike was waiting outside for her. "Spike, I'm fine," she insisted.

That's when she saw Daemion watching her from across the street his hand taped up. Eyes wide in shock she watched as he crossed the street.

Spike's scarred eyebrow rose as he watched the Narin whisper something too low even for him to hear in Aerithika's ear and her blush at what was said.

The meaning behind what was going on wasn't lost on Xander and his eyes went wide in shock.

They all stared at him as he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and walked away.

Climbing into Spike's car Aerithika lit up a cigarette.

"Let's go," she said.

As they pulled away, Buffy looked over at Xander a puzzled look on her face. "Okay, what just happened here?"

"I'm not really sure, Buffy. But I don't think it's any of our business."

"Well, at least could you tell me who that guy was?"

"Daemion Black, Demetri's son." 

Eyes wide in disbelief, Buffy, Willow and Xander headed off towards their respective homes.

 

"Can we talk?" Spike asked.

"No. Just drive."

"O-kay. Are you and Daemion involved?"

"Shut up and drive Spike."

"Who the hell hurt you?"

"I said shut up."

Spike stopped the car. "I'm not driving anymore until we talk Aerithika."

"Fine. I'll walk," Aerithika said getting out of the care.

"Like hell you are," Spike said angrily as he chased after her.

"Spike I said I don't want to talk and you won't take it at that. So what am I supposed to do? You know what I'm like when this shit happens," she said with a touch of her old European accent slipping through her voice.

"Okay. Will you please get back in the car now?"

"Yeah, I will."

After she got back in, they started to drive again.

 

Daemion paced back and forth in Aerithika's room. He ran a hand through his hair, lit up a cigarette and sat down on her bed.

"Why do I feel like a silly mortal teenager?" he asked her teddy bear. "I'm almost five hundred years old!"

Jessica walked in, a small smile on her face, "How are you doing, Daemion?"

"Fine, I guess. Just thinking about things."

Jessica patted him on the back. She grimaced as she looked down at his hand. Shaking her head, she said, "Just be careful, Daemion. Things are difficult right now. Don't do anything rash, okay. Your father is upset as it is. Don't make him kill you. As pissed as he is he might just do it. I understand what you're going through; you know about my past with Rith. Please, Daemion, don't hurt her. She's your sister for Hell’s sake." With that she left.

 

After driving around in utter silence for over an hour, Spike stopped in front of Demetri's house. Aerithika leaned over and gave him a deep passionate kiss. Breaking apart she raked her fingers across his cheek, dragging her tongue across the deep bloody gashes she had caused. She kissed him again saying, "I'll" kiss "see" kiss "you" kiss, kiss, kiss "later." 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A smug grin on her face, Aerithika walked up the driveway and into the house. As she walked into her room she was pounced on by Daemion. He growled low in his throat, fangs briefly showing. He smirked as Aerithika's fangs appeared, eyes glowing. He sank his fangs into her neck, shuddering as she dug her claws onto his flesh. Pulling away from her neck he let out an animalistic howl as she sunk her own fangs into his neck.

Aerithika reached her hand out, closing the door and sealing it from the inside.

"Good thinking," Daemion panted, closing the curtains. He spun around and grabbed the older demon. "You are mine," he hissed.

Before she had a chance to respond, he grabbed her by the hair and gave her a bruising kiss. 

Licking the blood off her lips, Aerithika pushed him down on the bed. With a smirk she shifted to her male form, Rith, "What were you saying?"

Growling Daemion pounced and started the worst form of torture for Rith, tickling.

 

Walking into the house Demetri and Jessica heard an inhuman shriek come from Aerithika's room. Rushing up the stairs they heard, "What, does this bother you?" Followed by another shriek and an outburst of giggles.

Demetri turned the doorknob but the door refused to budge. He pounded on the door, only to hear a muffled, "Go away. Kinda busy."

Jessica rolled her eyes and grabbed Demetri's hand, leading him back down to their room.

"Jessica."

"Just let it be Demetri. You need to relax. She's fine. This is not the time."

Taking a deep unneeded breath, Demetri looked at his wife knowing she was right. Aerithika could take care of herself.

 

Panting and giggling Daemion and Aerithika collapsed to the bed. "Now where were we?" he asked, running his hands up her side. 

Her only response was to moan softly as he latched his mouth onto her neck. "That's about it but not quite close enough." 

Somewhere during the tickle attack he had lost his shirt and she had been reduced to bra and panties.

"If you ruined that shirt, I am so going to kick your ass, Daemion."

"Didn't ruin it," Daemion mumbled distractedly.

"Good. It was a gift from Spike and Xander."

Daemion didn't feel like talking anymore and shut her up with a soft but very passionate kiss, which left both gasping.

 

As the sun began to set, Aerithika woke up. Sliding out from under Daemion, she slipped on her bathrobe and walked to the bathroom. After taking a quick shower she returned to her room to get dressed. She was greeted by an awake Daemion, who was sitting against the headboard. As she slipped on a pair of loose black jeans and a baggy black t-shirt, she smiled at the younger man. Pulling her hair back in a ponytail she leaned over to give him a quick kiss.

"So, umm, where are you going?" Daemion asked, running his fingers through her hair.

"Over to Spike's for research, then going on patrol. I'll be back later."

"Be safe," he said with a concerned look on his face.

Aerithika caught his tone of voice as she slipped on her shoes and gave him an amused smile. "I will. Bye, Daemion," she said blowing him a quick kiss and heading out.

After she left the room Daemion grabbed her teddy bear and laid back down hugging the stuffed animal to his chest.

 

Spike was waiting outside for her, leaned up against a tree, smoking. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder they began walking to his car.

"So, you still not in a mood to talk?" Spike asked.

"Sorry about earlier, Spike. I just couldn't talk about it."

"Who hurt you, pet?" he asked, voice full of concern.

"Spike, please. Let's not talk about it."

"It was Demetri, wasn't it?" When she didn't answer he knew he was right. "Why?" He still got no answer, and when he looked over he saw a single tear run down her cheek. Gritting his teeth Spike asked, "He's the one who hurt Daemion as well wasn't he?" He realized he wouldn't get a response out of her on that line of questions, so he asked. "So, are you going to take Daemion as mate?"

Aerithika was prepared for Spike to keep bugging her about her injuries so when he asked her about Daemion her eyes widened in shock. When she got the ability to speak back she said, "I don't know."

He was about to ask her something else but noticed that they had already reached his house.

He squeezed her hand once and gave her a brief kiss. She put on a grin and walked to the door.

With a smile on her face, Aerithika ran into the dining room, which had become the research room, proclaiming at the top of her lungs, "I'm here. You may rejoice!"

Xander started laughing, having heard about one of Aerithika's meetings with Jessica, when she had said those exact same words. 

Willow and Buffy rolled their eyes while Spike smirked, pleased at her smugness. Even Angel cracked a smile at that. 

But it was Giles' reaction which stunned them all. Taking off his glasses he said, "We are all rejoicing, Aerithika, and will do it evermore so when you have helped me translate this," motioning at an ancient scroll lying on the table.

"Ohh, you just love me for my knowledge," Aerithika said with a fake pout on her lips.

"Yeah, Giles, don't you love us anymore," Spike said, trying to keep a straight face before cracking up laughing.

After the tension of the last few days they all needed this lighthearted behavior.

 

"Gah, no more," Aerithika said stretching and walking over to the sitting room. They had been researching for the last two and a half-hours and she needed a break. Taking her lead, Spike joined her, lighting up a cigarette for each of them and handing one to her.

"It's getting late. We should patrol and those of you with school in the morning should head home," he called over his shoulder to the still researching others.

"You're right, Spike," Buffy said picking up her things as they all left to patrol and then head for home. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dropping Aerithika off at home, Spike and Xander walked to their own house, hand in hand, stopping every so often for a quick kiss or grope. Xander could tell something else was on Spike's mind and waited impatiently for him to bring it up. After ten minutes 

Spike stopped and said, "I think Aerithika is going to take a new mate."

"What makes you think that, Spike?" Xander asked running his hand through his hair.

"Well, Daemion and her are getting pretty close."

"And you're feeling jealous. Believe me Spike, I've been there before. Eight times in fact. I believe the last time was in the late nineteenth century and the man in question was a certain blond English Watcher, who wrote the most awful poetry."

"Shut up, Alexander," Spike said, using Xander's original name.

"Yes, William," snickered Xander.

 

Someone was waiting for them on the front steps when they got home. Running her fingers through long chocolate brown locks, she sat smoking a cigarette. Upon seeing them she got up, tossed her cigarette and wrapped her arms around Xander. Speaking with a rich, old European accent she said, " Hi Dad."

Spike raised his scarred eyebrow as Xander returned the girl's hug a big goofy grin on his face. 

"Xandria. How are you doing? What are you doing here?" he babbled.

"I'm fine dad. And I just came to visit you and mom, heard you guys were in the area, why else."

She noticed the blond watching her father and herself and could sense the connection between the two. Having never met him she stuck out her hand. He took it and shook it.

"Xandria Pryce. Alexander and Aerithika's eldest."

Spike had heard Aerithika mention her daughter a few times.

Putting one hand on the small of Xander's back, the other still being held by the other man's daughter he responded with a simple, "Spike."

She smirked and Spike knew where she got her looks from, as she looked much like her father. Shaking her head she said, "I finally get to meet my mom's youngest mate. It's a pleasure."

“Xandria, here, is my eldest, Aerithika's third child," Xander told Spike with a smile.

Knowing he was being rude, Spike's curiosity won out over tact as he asked "So, how old are you exactly?"

Xandria gave him what had up to five minutes prior been considered a 'Xander Smirk', and said as if stating the obvious, " I just turned 1222 last week."

Spike looked over at Xander. He had never asked him his true age and had always known the dark haired man was older than him, but he had never assumed that he was over a millennium old. Clearing his throat he asked, "Exactly how old does that make you then?"

Xander shook his head and laughed, "1237 years old. Aerithika had little Xandria here three years before she turned me. I was only eighteen when I was turned."

"Bloody hell," Spike said lighting up a cigarette, running his fingers through his hair and sitting down on the steps.

"Is he going to be okay?" Xandria whispered in her father's ear.

"He'll be fine," Xander assured her.

"Bloody hell."

 

After he had gotten over the shock of Xander's true age, Spike joined them in the living room. There they chatted about their lives and their current situation. Xandria kept asking them for information about their relationship. Xander kept blushing and Spike had a cocky grin on his face. When Xandria got up to use the bathroom, Spike asked Xander a question that had been bugging him for a while, "So how old is Willow?"

"She's only 494," Xander answered, rubbing Spike's shoulder.

"Only. Ha, that's funny!"

"Who are we talking about?" Xandria said upon reentering the room.

"Willa," Xander responded. He noticed Spike was about to correct him and shot the former vampire a look.

"Oh, Willa. Do you know where she is?" When she didn't get a response she said, "She's younger than that little punk, Daemion Black."

At the mention of the black haired Narin's name Xander and Spike broke up laughing. Xander was laughing so hard, he collapsed onto Spike, tears of laughter running down his cheeks.

"What's so funny?" Xandria asked, puzzled at her father and Spike's reaction to a demon who wasn't even in town.

"Xandria," Xander began, "it's just that your mother and him kinda became involved recently. Spike and I are just trying to adjust to it."

With that he started laughing again and Xandria joined in as well. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xander was sitting on the couch head on Spike's shoulder when he looked out the window and noticed the sun had started to rise. With a groan he looked at the clock and said, "Oh, shit. I have to be at school in exactly two and a half hours."

Spike ran his fingers through Xander's hair and said, "Luckily you can survive on an hour of sleep. Go to bed, I'll wake you in time for school, Xan."

"Thanks Spike."

 

A very tired Xander met up with the girls in front of the school. "Morning, ladies," he yawned.

This wasn't the first time Xander had shown up at school after very little sleep. "Late night, Xan?" Buffy asked with a smirk.

"Yeah. And not because of that."

"What happened?" Aerithika asked.

"Xandria's in town visiting. Spike and I were up all night talking with her."

"Dria's in town? I have to go bug her," said a super happy Willow.

"'Dria'?" both Xander and Aerithika asked at the same time before they started to laugh.

Xander looked over at Aerithika and told her with a yawn, "Yeah. She's crashed on the couch."

"I'll have to come over and see her after school."

"Who's Xandria?" Buffy asked Willow.

"Oh, Dria's my half sister. She's their eldest," Willow said pointing at Xander and Aerithika, "and mom's third born."

"Oh. Cool. I'll have to meet her."

The bell rang and they rushed in to make it to first period in time.

 

At lunch they all sat outside chatting when Xander and Aerithika started to whisper to each other about one of the Juniors, Oz. Willow shook her head as they went to go talk to him and continued to listen as Buffy went on about something Giles had told her.

 

Daemion sat at the kitchen table, only half listening to what his father was saying. Shaking his head he stood up, grabbed his jacket and walked out. With a hurried pace he headed for the high school.

Standing across the street he watched Aerithika talking with her friends at lunch.

"Bloody hell," he heard from next to him.

"Hello, Spike," he said not even looking over.

"Isn't that Daniel over there talking with Aerithika and Xander?" Spike asked with an annoyed tone of voice.

Daemion looked over at who Spike was talking about, "Yeah, I think so. Why do you ask?"

Spike sighed, "Just thought I recognized him is all."

Both lit up a cigarette and stood in silence watching the school. 

There they stayed until classes were over for the day.

 

Walking out of the school Aerithika noticed Daemion and Spike standing across the street, about fifteen feet apart. Whispering at Xander she started walking down the sidewalk. Xander walked next to her. They both felt when Daemion and Spike started following them. Aerithika turned around, hands on her hips, a smirk on her lips. Rolling her eyes she stopped and let them catch up to her. When they got to her she put an arm around each of their waists and continued walking.

Xander ran in front of them and Aerithika winked at him. He pulled out a camera and took a photo of the three of them.

"So," Aerithika said casually, "were you two waiting there long?"

Daemion looked embarrassed, not making eye contact with her.

Spike too looked embarrassed, but he replied, "Only since you were at lunch."

"You two are priceless," Aerithika replied, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek. "Listen, Xander and I have a lot of homework and we're going to need quiet to finish it. Okay you two."

Daemion and Spike shared a conspiratorial look, which Xander and Aerithika missed.

"Not a problem," Daemion said.

"You won't hear a word from us, luv," Spike answered.

 

A half hour later Xander and Aerithika sat at the table working on their homework. Spike and Daemion were true to word, neither one uttering a word. But they were causing a great amount of distractions. Daemion was tossing scraps of paper at Xander and messing with his hair. Spike was sucking and nibbling on Aerithika's ears and neck.

"Spi-ike," she whined only to receive an innocent look from him.

Spike then walked over to Xander and ran his fingers across his Adam's Apple, then in a trail down his chest. Xander gave a heavy sigh. Daemion licked his lips and walked over to Aerithika giving her a deep kiss. Spike smirked at Xander as he lowered his hand to his lap.

Xander stood up, face flushed, "Okay you two. OUT! NOW!"

After Spike and Daemion left the room, Aerithika swore she heard Spike say, "What did we do? We were quiet, just like they asked."

With the distractions gone, Xander and Aerithika finished their homework quickly.

 

Xander walked into the living room where Spike and Daemion were and said, "We would have finished a hell of a lot sooner had you not been distracting us."

Daemion and Spike just laughed.

"But it was so much fun getting the two of you all frustrated, Pet," Spike said leering at Xander.

"The two of you are brats. You do realize that," Aerithika said from the doorway.

"Yeah, we realize it. Why do you think we were doing those things?" Spike said.

Sitting down on the couch, Aerithika sighed. She was soon joined by said brats and Xander. Daemion felt slightly out of place. He looked up at the clock and got up.

"Where are you going?" Xander asked.

"I, uhh, I have to go talk to someone. I'll be back later."

With that he left, lighting up a cigarette, sighing. 'Smooth one, Daemion.' He growled at his inner voice. 'Can't stand how things are can you. You know how she is. Be honored she's letting you into the family.'

 

As soon as Daemion was out of sight Spike looked at Xander and Aerithika and asked, "Now where were we?"

Before giving them a chance to answer he grabbed them both by the hand and led them out of the living room into the master bedroom a wicked grin on his pale face.

 

The door had barely closed when all heard, "Spike? Dad? I'm back."

Straightening her shirt, Aerithika walked out of the bedroom to greet her eldest. "Xandria. It's so good to see you."

Xandria rushed over and gave her mother a big hug. "Mom. How have you been?"

"Good. Human for a few years, but good none the less."

"Oh, wow. Both you and dad. Who would have thought."

That's when she saw Spike and Xander had entered the room. Xandria looked at the three of them and realized where they had been.

"Oh, gods. I'm sorry. Did I interrupt anything?"

"We weren't doing anything yet if that's what you're asking, Xandria," Xander assured her.

"Don't I feel awful," Xandria said, running her fingers through her hair.

"You shouldn't," Xander said. Giving Spike a look he continued, "Besides, we will be having visitors any time now."

"Visitors?" Spike asked confused, "So who's coming over?

"Buffy and Willow," Aerithika told him with a sassy grin.

"Who are they?" Xandria asked.

"Friends of ours," Xander said.

"Buffy is the Slayer," Spike added.

Xandria laughed.

"And Willow, you'll just have to wait and see."

At that moment the doorbell rang and Xander went to answer it.

"So you're still making nice with the Slayers. Some things never change, do they Mom." 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xander opened the door to see a very happy Willow and a very amused Buffy standing on the front porch. "We come bearing gifts," Willow said handing Xander one of the bags she held in her hands.

"Thanks. Come on in," Xander replied shooting Buffy an amused smile.

Willow bounced into the living room and pounced on Xandria.

"Hi, Dria," she said with a big goofy grin.

"Oh my god. Hi Willa," Xandria replied giving her a big hug.

Willow introduced Buffy and handed everyone their gifts.

"So, you're the Slayer?"

"Yeah. And you're their daughter."

"Yep. So, doesn't it seem odd hanging out with a bunch of demons?"

"Not anymore."

 

They spent the next few hours talking. Daemion had returned shortly after Buffy and Willow had gotten there. Someone knocked on the door and Spike went to answer it.

"It's about that time," Aerithika told Xandria and Daemion.

"What time?" Xandria asked.

"Time to research with Giles," Xander replied.

"Oh, goody," Daemion said in a sarcastic voice, "research party."

"This will be your first, won't it be, Daemion?" Aerithika asked with a grin as she threw her arm around his shoulder.

 

They all knew something was wrong by the grim look on Giles' face when he walked into the room with Angel. Even Angel looked sadder than usual.

"What's wrong?" Aerithika asked.

Giles explained what he had discovered and Buffy broke down in tears, Spike's hands clenched into fists and Willow rocked her crying friend. Daemion stared at the floor in shock and Xander began to pace. Xandria looked at her mother and was shocked at the pure rage and sorrow she saw on her face.

"It's time to pull out the big guns," Aerithika said, her green eyes glowing dangerously.

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"I have to get Demetri."

She grabbed her jacket and looked at Spike. "Keys," she hissed, her one word order showed how pissed she was at the situation at he handed them to her.

 

With a screech of tires, she drove off towards home. She sped the whole way there and with a squeal of the brakes parked out front leaving the car running.

Storming into the house she grabbed Demetri off the couch eyes glowing, fangs extended.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing, you little bitch?" he spat at her,

"We need your help."

"And why should I help you?"

"If you want this world to remain in one piece and keep your food source safe you'll help us."

At her words, Demetri knew something bad was about to happen.

"What's going on?" he asked, voice full of concern.

"The Master is going to kill Buffy and open the Hellmouth, freeing himself and destroying everything we hold dear in this world."

His dislike of the Slayer and all she stood for was one thing, but the hatred he felt for the Master was so much deeper. After what had happened between the Master, Aerithika and himself in the past, he knew it was time for revenge. And he knew why Aerithika was so mad, for the Master had killed her beloved centuries prior. She had never gotten a chance to get vengeance.

Letting go of Demetri, Aerithika headed for the door. "Where are you going?"

"Where I am needed. If you are going to help come with me now. But if you don't, don't even try and interfere," with that she walked out to the car.

Demetri followed and got in the car on the passengers side. They sped off to Spike and Xander's, a grim silence between them.

Before they went inside, Aerithika turned to Demetri and said, "This will be a good way to release all your pent up anger. Won't it be, Demetri?"

 

Even after all their planning, the Master still killed Buffy and opened the Hellmouth. Aerithika brought her back as the battle raged above ground. She followed Buffy as she went to face the Master one final time. Watching her friends and family battle the vampires and demons, she saw the Master crash through the skylight, impaling himself. When all that was left were his bones she walked over to Buffy.

"You need to destroy his bones, Buffy. Or someone might revive him," she said handing Buffy a mallet.

With a sad smile on her face she watched Buffy shatter the bones to dust. Buffy began to cry and Aerithika gathered the sobbing Slayer in her arms telling her that everything would be alright.

With the world safe for the time being they all went home to relax from the draining battle. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunnydale, January 1998

Eyes glowing in outrage, Aerithika faced Angelus. His hand was wrapped around Willow's neck and he looked like he was about to kill her. He knew he couldn't kill her in front of the old demon, the girl’s mother, his wife, and took off. Aerithika hadn't seen him like that in over a century and was determined to find out what had happened. Normally she would just go to Demetri to ask his advice but he had recently taken off on a long vacation with Jessica. He had given the express order that he wasn't to be bothered unless the world was going to end. And since Angel re-becoming Angelus wasn't 'end of the world bad' on the scale of badness, she was left with out his expert opinion.' But things couldn't have happened at a worse time,' she thought bitterly.

 

When Buffy walked sadly down the street she saw a very pissed off looking Aerithika. "What happened?" she asked.

"Angelus was here. He almost killed Willow."

"Oh, god is she okay?"

"She's fine. It's what made Angelus come back that's bugging me. We have enough to worry about with Ethan and Kristen reawakening the Judge. Now Angelus," she got a thoughtful look on her face. "The Judge. That's it. Buffy come with me I have to make a phone call." 

They rushed to Aerithika, Spike and Xander's house and Buffy went to the living room while Aerithika made a phone call from the bedroom. 

She dialed Demetri's cell phone number, waiting impatiently for him to pick up.

 

"This had better be important, Aerithika," he answered grumpily.

"It is man. The twin terrors have reassembled the Judge and Angelus is back."

"The Judge," Demetri said in shock. Demetri filled her in on all he knew of the Judge, which was pretty much what they already knew.

"No weapon forged," she said bitterly walking out of the bedroom. "Wait a second," she said as she approached the others. "What if we use a weapon that hadn't been forged back when the Judge last was around, like a bazooka, perhaps?"

With that in mind they started to plan their attack.

 

Picking up the pieces of the newly blown up Judge, Aerithika looked for Buffy. As if reading her mind, Xander walked over to her and said, "I saw her chasing after Angelus."

She shook her head, a sad smile on her face as she said, "She won't be able to kill him. Not yet."

 

A few weeks later Buffy bumped into a new girl at school. She seemed normal enough but there was something off about her. At lunch that same day she saw Aerithika rush over to her and rip off the necklace she was wearing and crush it in her palm. With a screech the new girl shoved Aerithika as Buffy approached them. "I can't believe you just did that. Who do you think you are?"

"Deal with it Anyanka. I know who you were here for and I won't let you do what you were planning."

"I was only doing my job, Aerithika," she screeched.

"I don't care. She's my friend and under my protection and I wasn't about to let you go through with it."

"What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"Anyanka, here, was a vengeance demon, the Patron Saint of Scorned Women. She was going to get you to make a wish and grant it for you. But all wishes come at a great price. I've seen the results far too many times in the past."

"Really. No wonder she seemed a little off. What was the whole thing with destroying her necklace about?"

"It was my power source," Anyanka said bitterly. "Without it, I'm as human as most of the people here." With that she stormed off.

"Thanks. Knowing my luck I would have wished something horrible to happen to Angel and since you are working on a way to re-curse him, as angry as I am, I don't want to hurt him."

 

That night at home, they discussed what had happened, when they were all gathered for research. "So, how long was she a demon?" Buffy asked.

"About one hundred years less than Xander has been one," replied Aerithika.

"And she's been messing with guys all that time. I mean some of the things she has done have been pretty horrible," Xander continued.

"She'll just have to adjust to being human again."

 

Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his temples, " I think that that's enough research for the night."

Willow yawned and started to pack her books in her bad as she followed Giles out to his car, as he was her ride home.

"Hey, Slayer, you look dead tired. We'll take patrol tonight. You just go home," Spike said resting his hand on her shoulder.

Buffy agreed and grabbed her things, rushing out after Giles, glad he and Willow had yet to leave. He gladly gave her a ride home.

 

After an unusually slow patrol the three demons went home. Walking up the sidewalk they saw that the living room lights were on, when they had turned them off before leaving. All holding stakes they entered the house. 

Daemion sat on the couch reading a book, his now shoulder length black hair falling over his face as he leaned forward. "You three really need to remember to lock your doors," he said never looking up. "Don't want any crazy people waltzing in here whenever they want.

Aerithika pounced on him, "Yeah, like you. You crazy bastard."

"When'd you get back into town, mate?" Spike asked sitting down on the couch next to Daemion.

"About twenty minutes ago. Dominic is coming to visit next week."

"Dominic's coming to town? Shit. This is just what we need now," Xander sighed sitting on the other side of Daemion.

"What's wrong?" Daemion asked, not knowing why his news was getting the reaction it was.

"Ethan and Kristen are in town causing chaos and Angel is back to being Angelus. And today I just destroyed Anyanka's power source. She was here for Buffy."

"Oh, gods. That's horrible."

"Yeah, and a few weeks ago we blew up the Judge at the Mall, a nice gift from the Twin Terrors," Xander said shaking his head.

 

Angelus paced in front of the window, a few hours before sundown, Ethan and Kristen smirking at him. 

"You know Angelus, you're going to wear a whole in the floor if you keep pacing like that," Ethan said tossing the dead body he had just drained to the floor.

"Shut up, Ethan," Angelus hissed grabbing the Narin by the shirt.

"Boys, behave," Kristen said pulling them apart. "I'm going out. Ethan are you coming with me?"

"Yeah, fine," said Ethan, running a hand through his black hair.

"If we run into that bitch of a Slayer, we'll kill her," Kristen said grabbing her coat and walking to the door.

"Don't you dare. She's mine to deal with."

 

Daemion walked slowly around town, barely smoking his cigarette. He stepped into an alley and pulled out his cell phone and dialed Dominic.

"Hey, bro. Listen, about you coming to Sunnydale, I don't really think you should. No, I'm not being selfish. It's not like that. What's it like, you ask? I'll tell you. My friends are here. No I won't set you up with any of them. Gods, Dominic, stop thinking with your dick. Yeah the Slayer is here. No you won't kill her. She's a friend. Shut up. You sound like dad. Dominic don't you dare. You want Aerithika pissed at you? Hello? That was fucking rude," shut off his cell phone and put it back in his pocket. 

He was about to head for Aerithika, Spike and Xander's place when he noticed he was being watched by Kristen and Ethan. 

"Well, if it isn't the traitorous little no good fuck, Daemion," Ethan hissed grabbing him by the neck.

"You know what happens when a Narin helps the Slayer, don't you Daemion?" Kristen said in icy tones as she slammed her fist into his midsection.

The twins continued to beat him for another forty-five minutes, before Kristen pulled Ethan off of him with a pout, "Ethan, I'm hungry. Let's leave the worthless piece of shit to bleed to death and get a bite to eat."

With a final kick to Daemion's already broken ribs, Ethan straightened his clothes, grabbed his sister's hand and took off.

 

It was dumb luck that Willow and Buffy would pass the alley a half hour later and Buffy saw the unconscious Narin, laying in a pool of his own blood, out of the corner of her eye.

 

Aerithika ran to the door hearing someone pounding franticly on it. Upon opening the door she gasped and then fainted. Spike ran to the door when he heard a thud and saw an unconscious Aerithika on the floor. Then he noticed a grim looking Willow and an equally grim looking Buffy carrying a bruised and beaten Daemion in her arms.

"Bloody hell. What happened?"

"We don't know," Willow said helping him pick up Aerithika.

"What happened to Aerithika?"

"She saw Daemion and fainted," Buffy said as Spike walked over to the table with the phone and the list of telephone numbers. "Who are you calling?"

"Demetri. I think I know who did this, but we'll have to find out when Daemion wakes up."

"Kristen and Ethan," Daemion said before passing out once more. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twenty minutes and a phone call to Demetri later, Spike sat on the couch holding a now awake Aerithika in his arms. Daemion had woken up three times and had drank some blood, but was currently out of it.

Demetri and Jessica would be returning to Sunnydale within the hour and Xander was due home any moment. They had cleaned up Daemion's wounds and had taped up his ribs and given him some pain medicine but he was still moaning in his sleep.

Tears ran down Aerithika's rage hardened face and she kept repeating, "Those stupid little fucks will pay. They will pay dearly for this outrage."

Rocking her in his arms, Spike mentally agreed.

 

There was a knock on the door and Spike rushed to it only to see Dominic standing on the porch, hands in his pockets. "What do you want?" Spike asked angrily.

"I just came to see my darling little brother."

"Too bad. He's in no condition to see anyone. Not after what happened."

Dominic looked concerned. His brother and him had never gotten along well, but Daemion was still his brother, no matter what. Smelling his brother's blood coming from the house, he asked, "What happened to him?"

"Your jackass siblings beat the shit out of him. With the amount of blood he lost he would have died had the Slayer not found him and brought him here for us to help him," Spike said bitterly.

"The Slayer helped him?" Dominic asked.

"He's helped her often enough. She has a thing for helping her friends and allies when they are hurt."

"May I come in and see him?" Dominic asked pleadingly.

"Of course. Thought you were your father at first."

He led Dominic to where Daemion lay.

Dominic's eyes burned with cold rage as he watched the Slayer force feeding him blood. If he didn't know any better he would have sworn that his brother was dead and he vowed that those two little fucks would pay for hurting his little brother.

Balling his hands into fists he sank to the floor next to Daemion and shed the first tears he had cried in centuries.

 

After fifteen minutes of listening to Dominic sobbing, Spike walked into the bedroom. He flopped down on the bed and ran his fingers through his bleached blond hair. He felt a presence and looked over to see Aerithika standing in the doorway. She crossed over to him and looked him straight in the eye. "I'm going out. By the time I am done with those two they will be begging me to kill them."

She slipped on a pair of tight jeans and a skin tight tank top, the kind of outfit she only wore when out on patrol and Spike liked to think of as her 'killing outfit.' Throwing on her leather jacket she stormed out. 

Walking down the sidewalk, she passed Xander, the look of pure rage and glowing eyes and fangs worrying him about what was happening.

 

The first thing Xander saw when he walked in the house was Daemion and Dominic and then Buffy crossing the room carrying two warmed packets of blood. Willow sat on one of the chairs, a book on her lap. 

Sensing that Spike was in the bedroom, he walked in and sat on the bed next to the blond. He ran his hand through Spikes hair. He hadn't gotten a good look at Demetri's sons but by Aerithika's reaction he knew it was bad. "So what set Aerithika off?"

"Ethan and Kristen beat the shit out of Daemion. He would have died if Buffy and Willow hadn't found him."

"I wouldn't want to be those two when she catches up to them," Xander said as the front door was slammed.

 

Demetri stormed into the house and over to his injured son. Ripping open his wrist he fed his son. As Daemion fell back asleep, Demetri looked over at Xander, "Where's Aerithika?"

"She went out. Spike says she's going to make the twins beg her to kill them."

"What! If she thinks she's going to have the pleasure of torturing those two little bastards she has another thing coming. How long ago did that little upstart of a girl leave?"

"Ten minutes ago," Xander said. "She was heading towards town."

With that Demetri stormed out and followed Aerithika's trail only to find her in an old mansion with the twins chained from the ceiling. She a held a dagger in her right hand, which she dragged across Ethan's naked chest, leaving a nice sized gash, the newest in an 

emerging pattern.

Tossing him a blade she circled the struggling Kristen. "What Demetri, you think I was going to have all the fun?"

Demetri ran his blade across Ethan's back making small shallow cuts.

"You found my trail pretty easily, I hope?"

"Yeah, not a problem finding you."

"Don't they look pretty?" Aerithika asked motioning at the twins. "I always knew Kristen would look better bald," she said, yanking out Kristen's last locks. "Don't you agree, Kristen?" What's that? I can't hear you," she said smirking at the gagged vampire.

"What, cat got your tongue?" Demetri asked grabbing Ethan's gag with one hand and ripping out his tongue with the other.

Spitting out blood, Ethan glared at Demetri.

"Switch," Aerithika said walking over to Ethan. One hand on her hip she picked up a small bottle. Removing the cork she upended the bottle over his chest, a sadistic grin on her pale features.

He screamed, blood splattering as the acid burned his flesh.

From across the room she heard a blood curdling scream and looked over to see Demetri using a branding iron on Kristen's naked back. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room. 

 

They took a break two hours later, force feeding the twins so they wouldn't die.

When they came back they saw most of the twins wounds had started to heal. Aerithika grabbed a razor blade and started to carve an intricate design on Kristen's stomach.

Moaning in pain, Ethan's eyes rolled back in his skull as Demetri drove a sword through his gut. Aerithika sunk her fangs into Kristen's shoulder, tearing the flesh. She spat out a chunk and walked over to Ethan.

"Poor boy. This is what you get for what you did to Daemion," she said as she slammed her fist into his ribs, shattering them. "Hurts. Don't it?"

 

Demetri and Aerithika gave the twins enough blood to start healing and unlocked their chains. Picking up her bag of toys, Aerithika grabbed her jacket and left. Walking at a slow even pace Demetri and Aerithika headed for her house.

"I hope they learned their lesson," Demetri said.

"They better have. I don't want to do that again," Aerithika said with disgust, coming down from her bloodlust.

Demetri caught her tone of voice. "What? You didn't like that? There was a time when you would do worse and walk away with a smile on your face."

She sighed, lighting up a cigarette. Shaking her long red hair she said, "People change, Demetri."

Demetri grabbed her, "Not us, Aerithika. Not demons."

"I DID, DEMETRI!" she yelled, pulling out of his grasp. "You might not like it but tough." With that she ran the rest of the way home.

 

Slamming the bedroom door, Aerithika fell to the bed tears running down her face. Spike walked in and sat next to her, the smell of blood making his mouth water. He looked over when he heard the door quietly close and watched Xander walk over to them. Xander took Aerithika in his arms, running his fingers through her blood soaked hair, grimacing at the sight. Taking off her blood soaked clothes and dropping them into the wash Spike and Xander took her to the bathroom to get her cleaned up. 

After turning on the water they washed their hands. After her shower, Xander wrapped her in her bathrobe and Spike carried her to the bedroom. Both rubbing her back as she drifted off to sleep.

 

Demetri walked into the house, getting an odd look from Dominic. He looked down at his clothes, noticing they were covered in blood. Shaking his head, he said, "I'm going home and getting cleaned up. I'll be back later."

Teleporting into his living room, Demetri heard a gasp. He looked over at Jessica and walked tiredly to the bathroom. Washing the blood off and changing into some clean clothes he approached his wife. "We didn't kill them Jessica. We just gave them a very severe warning that those actions are never to be repeated. I hope they get the message." 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A very sore Daemion woke up on the couch to the sound of a soft snore. He looked over to see Dominic fast asleep on the floor next to him. 

"Hey Dominic," he said shaking him, " wake up."

"How are you feeling?" Dominic asked, brushing his fingers across a bruise on Daemion's cheek.

"Very sore. But that's to be expected," Daemion hissed in pain as he sat up.

"Hey, take it easy. You need anything?"

"Some blood and some pain pills."

"I'll get it for you," Dominic said rushing to the kitchen. 

As he got the supplies, he heard Daemion moan in pain and a single tear ran down his cheek as he clenched his jaw.

 

Later that evening Aerithika came out to check on Daemion. A smile on his face when he saw her, Daemion sat up. She hugged him gently and ran her fingers across the fading bruise on his cheek.

"How are you doing?" 

"Better than I was earlier. I'll be sore for quiet a while."

"What did they all do to you?"

He told her and his arm around her as she began to cry.

"They didn't get half what they deserved then," she said bitterly. "If I had known what had all happened, those two little fuckers would be dead, not healing." She growled deep in the back of her throat.

Daemion's eyes widened as Aerithika's emotions crossed the line into Rith territory, which was always a bad thing.

She prowled over to the phone and called Demetri. Daemion didn't understand a word of what she was saying as she was talking in a dead demon language that only she and Demetri still spoke, but the message was loud and clear by her tone of voice.

Her face shifted, showing her true demonic nature and Daemion's eyes were wide, he had never seen like that before, having only heard stories from his dad.

He now understood why his father insisted she was the most brutal and evil demon around, second only to himself. Cold terror gripped him but also a sense of warmth that this display of anger and hatred was purely for what had happened to him. 'Ain't I a twisted bastard,' he thought.

He walked over to her and kissed her passionately, overwhelmed by her actions. Pulling back, she gave him an odd look, "What was that for?"

"For you. Getting all upset over what happened to me. Have I told you that I love you?"

Eyes wide, she answered, "No. Never."

"I do you know. Love you that is. I have for years. Never had the nerve to tell you though."

"I love you too. How long?"

"I've loved you since we'd go out drinking, bitching about my family. But you never showed any interest in me so I hid my feelings. I'd watch you when you were out as Rith, causing chaos, you were poetry in motion. And when you were hanging around with the Scourge of Europe, gods I fell even harder for you. And then when you were human, shit I was so jealous that it was Spike who got to turn you back. When we first got together I was so happy but I thought it wouldn't last, I'd comfort you and you'd leave me. And as we got closer and closer I got scared. That's why I left for a while. I've never felt this way before."

Aerithika was shocked at Daemion's confession.

"And now, I'm hoping, if you will have me, to become your mate."

"Of course I'll have you. Daemion, I never get involved with anyone I don't want as mate. Haven't done that in a very long time."

"Good. If you hadn't said yes, I'm not sure what I would have done. But I do love you. All of you. I don't care what my father says, Aerithika."

She smiled at him, brushing his hair away from his face, giving him a quick kiss before giggling.

 

Demetri paced in his living room holding the phone. Aerithika has forgotten to hang up her phone and Demetri had heard every embarrassing word Daemion had said as he made an utter fool of himself. Hanging up the phone he shuddered and walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of JD.

Jessica walked in the living room to see Demetri shaking his head, drinking straight from the bottle.

"What's wrong?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Daemion just made a fool of himself to Aerithika and I had the unfortunate honor of hearing him gush. He asked her to be his mate. That stupid fool."

"Poor dear. There, there. Do you need me to make it all better?"

"Yeah, I do. I think I am going to be scarred for life," he said leering at her.

 

Hours later they lay in bed, Demetri holding Jessica.

"Are you better?"

"Not yet. I think I need a little more therapy."

"Oh that can be arranged."

 

With a smile on his face Demetri walked the streets of Sunnydale looking for dinner. Smelling fresh blood, he walked into the park to see Angelus dropping a body. When Angelus noticed him he took off running in the opposite direction.

Spotting a short dark haired male walking by Demetri pounced, draining him dry and ripping his throat out. He vaguely recognized the young man as Warren, a classmate of Aerithika's. Shrugging his shoulders Demetri headed home to get back to his wife, belly full of warm blood.

 

Angelus returned home to see a very wounded Kristen and Ethan sitting on the couch. "What the fuck happened to you two?"

"We attacked Daemion. So Demetri and Aerithika tortured us. They kept giving us blood so we wouldn't die," Kristen responded.

Ethan just nodded.

"Ethan can't talk right now, because dad ripped his tongue out. It's still healing."

Angelus shuddered, "And I thought I was bad."

"I'm surprised they didn't kill us though. We did work him over pretty bad."

"What exactly did you do to him?"

Kristen explained and Angelus looked at the twins in disgust. "God, you two need help," he said walking away from them.

 

Hunched over the body he was feeding off of, Dominic looked over to see his brother and Aerithika walking through the park. He could practically feel that the bond between them had changed. He shook his short black hair and walked over to them, leaving the now dead girl. He rolled his eyes, when would their father tell Aerithika she was his eldest child, therefore Daemion’s half sister, which Daemion knew about.

"Hey you two," he said as he approached them. He noticed that Daemion was looking a lot better than when he had left him.

"Hey, Dom," Aerithika said using her old nickname for him "No offense, Dominic, but we do kinda want some private time," 

Daemion said giving his older brother a 'please just leave us alone' look.

Getting the hint, Dominic left winking at them.

 

A few days later Kristen and Ethan returned home from the hunt to see that Angelus had moved all his things out. Sighing deeply, Kristen shrugged and said, "Oh well. That kid was really starting to get on my nerves. He spent far too much of his time obsessing about that slut of a Slayer he had been dating. We can do just as well without him. Right Ethan?"

"Yeah," Ethan responded, finally able to talk again.

"God, I have missed your voice," she said hugging her twin.

Neither one knew that they were being watched by Dominic. Eyes burning with rage he mapped out their lair in his mind planning his attack. Leaving his hiding spot, Dominic headed back to his hotel room and fell asleep, murderous thoughts aimed at the twins filling his dreams.

 

Packing his final bag, Demetri went to his wife. Wrapping his arms around her he said, "Are you ready to leave, darling?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Good. I hope we don't have anymore distractions and have to come back from our trip again."

With that they got into their car and drove away from Sunnydale, only after Demetri had ran over the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign.

Dominic watched as they left a sadistic smile on his lips. Walking to his room he set his plan into motion by writing a nice long letter of a plan to 'ally' himself with the twins. Hopefully they would buy his ruse. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With a grin on her face Aerithika walked into the library. It was her free period and she was going to meet Xander and Willow. Sitting down at the table, Aerithika opened her book. Two arms wrapped around her and she leaned back into the embrace. Xander turned her face to his and kissed her deeply. He whispered in her ear, "You wanna ditch the rest of the day? I know I'm up for it, how about you?"

"Xan-der," she whined, "I can't."

"Why?"

"I have to study for a test."

"We'll study at home. Please."

"Alright. We'll go," Aerithika said blowing her bangs off of her face.

With that Xander grabbed her hand and dragged her to the stacks where they teleported to their house, leaving a stunned Willow looking for them.

 

Spike sat in the living room, watching the television when he heard a loud thump for the bedroom and then Xander and Aerithika's laughs. He walked to the bedroom and opened the door, a cocky grin on his face."Look what we have here. Two juvenile delinquents skipping school. Naughty, naughty. You two need to be punished," he said grabbing one of the floggers off the dresser. "Looks like you two need a spanking."

"Oh, no," Aerithika gasped, a look of lust on her face. "Not a spanking."

"Please, Spike," Xander said, holding back a laugh, "don't spank us. Anything but that."

"My punishment is staying as I said. A spanking for both of you. Aerithika's first." With that he pulled her over his knee.

 

Buffy and Willow walked out of school. Buffy said, "I can't believe they skipped school." At Willow's odd look she laughed and said, "Okay, Xander I can believe. But Aerithika, it's not like her to skip."

"Something must have come up, Buffy."

"We'll go to their place to see what happened."

They walked over to Xander, Spike and Aerithika's house with a grim silence, fearing the worst. Buffy looked over at Willow and knocked on the door. She heard a giggle, followed by a few laughs and sshing noises.

Spike answered the door, zipping his pants. "What do you want, Slayer. We're kinda busy." When she didn't answer he closed the door in her face.

"So, not end of the world stuff, huh Buffy," Willow said with a laugh.

They left, laughing about what had happened as they walked home, eyes brimming with tears of laughter.

 

Xander and Aerithika watched Spike prowl back into the bedroom."Who was that?" Aerithika asked, wrapping her arms around Spike's waist.

"The Slayer and Willow," Spike answered. 

"They came to find us?" Xander asked leaning his head on Spike's lap. 

"Yeah, thought something was up, world ending wise."

"Nothing world ending, but something was up. Actually something is still up," Xander said with a wicked smile on his face as he bit down on Spike's thigh.

Spike groaned as Aerithika raked her claws across his chest, and moaned when Xander licked the trails of blood off his chest. "You two are going to be the end of me," he sighed as Aerithika bit down on his neck.

"That's the plan," Xander said as he grabbed Aerithika and shoved her down to the mattress.

Spike's eyes glazed over with lust as he watched Aerithika writhing under Xander. Licking his lips he leaned over and sunk his fangs into the exposed skin of Xander's neck.

Xander arched back and Aerithika smirked as she watched the look of utter bliss spread over his features. She groaned when Xander sunk his fangs into her own neck.

 

As the sun set, Aerithika looked over at her two sleeping mates. A grin on her face she brushed her fingers across each of their cheeks. 

Xander blinked sleepily at her and yawned, "Hi sexy. What are you awake for?"

"Can't sleep. Doesn't he look like an angel?" she asked pointing at Spike.

"Yeah, he does," Xander said with a yawn.

"Do not. I'm not dark haired and brooding."

All three laughed before settling back to sleep. Warm in each others arms, they felt safe. No one knew that Angelus was standing outside in the shadows watching them, a look of pure hatred at their contentment on his pale face. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kristen walked into her sitting room, plopping down on a chair. She ran her fingers through the short black hair, which had just started to grow back after Aerithika ripped it out. In her hand she held an envelope, and she waited impatiently for her brother to return from the hunt.

As he walked in the room she ran to him, shoving the envelope in his hand. Ethan opened the letter and noticed that it was in Dominic's handwriting. The twins smirked as they read the letter. "So, Dominic wants to form an alliance with us, Kristen. I don't buy it. But I think we could use this to our advantage."

 

The three of them met the following evening at the Bronze. After they all got there, they headed off for Kristen and Ethan's lair, all wary of what they said and did.

 

After they had talked for an hour, Dominic left. "Those two are stupid fools," he said when he was far enough away from them.

 

Making sure Dominic was out of hearing range, Ethan looked at his sister and said, "That stupid fool."

 

But none of them realized that Angelus had been spying on them the whole time and as he walked home he muttered, "You all are complete fools, and I'll make you pay for it."

 

Daemion walked through the cemetery, stake in hand. Patrol had been slow that night, he hadn't seen a single vampire besides himself. He stretched his tired muscles and started heading for home. He shook his head at his thoughts, this place really had become home in the last year. He decided to stop for a drink before he went home and walked over to Willy's. He sat down at the bar and ordered a beer and a glass of blood. Three beers and five shots later he left and walked back to the house he shared with the three Khanarin's. He still felt a little out of place when they would have group mate bonding time, one on one was easier to handle.

The others had assured him that he was wanted in their family and had often invited him to join their games. But he had never taken them up on their offers. Whenever they would get all together like, he would leave and go on patrol with Buffy, like he had done this evening. 

Pushing his hair back he realized he was already home. Taking a deep unneeded breath and letting it go he walked in the door to see a horrific sight.

Aerithika and Xander lay in a pool of blood, Spike in another not far away. He rushed to the phone calling Giles, Buffy, Willow, Dominic and his father before falling to the ground in a heap. 

 

Daemion sat rocking himself back and forth on the floor, covered in Aerithika, Xander and Spike's blood. The others were helping them as he quietly sobbed, repeating the phrase, "There's so much blood, too much," over and over again.

Demetri bent over and picked his son up, carrying him out of the way. "What happened?"

"Don't know, patrol, Willy's, then crime scene," Daemion cried his voice sounding like it did when he was little. "Gods there's so much blood, too much. Have to fix them, have to make them all better. Daddy please!" on that he grabbed his father's shirt eyes brimming 

over with tears.

Demetri realized that Daemion was in shock, but he had never seen him this bad, not even after the twin's attacked him. He brushed Daemion's too long hair off his face.

Dominic watched his brother breaking down. He had never seen a Narin that unstable before. Their father was trying to calm Daemion down, but he was having no luck. Dominic turned his attention back to his work. 

Demetri went over to help the others, knowing he was needed by them. He gritted his teeth, realizing that he was once more working side by side with the Slayer.

A high pitched wail came from Daemion but no one had time to fuss over him. For a brief instant as Demetri watched the Slayer, he had a brief glimpse of someone he hadn't seen in over twenty years, Aerithika's daughter Elizabeth Summers, better known as Lizzy. But just like that the vision was gone.

He wasn't the only one to see it, as Dominic gave him a 'did you see that?' look. Nodding at him, he ripped open his wrist and forced Xander to drink. Biting down on his lip, Demetri forced himself not to cry out in pain as Xander bit down hard.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Daemion moaned, trapped in his own little world. "Have to stop the dark haired hell spawn. He'll open the mouth. We'll all be eaten. Stop him. Please Lizzy stop him."

Aerithika's eyes flew open and Jessica was slightly thrown back from her. Words began flowing from her mouth that only Demetri understood. 

Much to his surprise it was exactly what Daemion had just said. Then Xander began to say the same in Latin and Spike in French.

Willow collapsed to the floor, eyes glowing blood red as she began chanting.

Demetri knew what she was saying, for he had heard it once before in eighteen ninety eight. Half way through it began to change. 

"It's almost the soul curse," he hissed, watching as a strange glow surrounded Xander, Spike, Aerithika, Daemion, Willow and Buffy.

The room filled with fog and became freezing cold. At once the eyes of the six glowing figures started to glow green, then blue, then white and finally black as they all shouted the word 'release' as one.

Demetri, Jessica, Giles and Dominic were flung against the wall as the others stood and then collapsed. 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Across town the Anointed One sat giving orders to his minions, Angelus standing at his side. Angelus gasped and the Anointed One looked over at his right hand man. Angelus fell to his knees and his eyes glowed. With a flash of light, Angelus disappeared, leaving a very confused Anointed One screaming orders to find him.

 

Angel landed in the middle of Spike's living room, his flesh smoking. Drawing in a deep breath he moaned in pain. Looking around the room he noticed the three Narins and one human plastered against the wall and three Khanarins, a Narin, a human-Khanarin and a human laying on the floor. His eyes widened in shock as he felt his heart racing.

 

Angelus woke up in the graveyard feeling more at home in his skin than he ever had. Running his fingers over his face, he felt his gameface was in place so he slipped out of it.

He walked into town passing a store window, gazing in amused shock as he saw his reflection for the first time in over two centuries. He figured that Giles would have answers and knew that he would be over at Spike's after the Anointed One's goons had made their hit there. He ran towards Spike's house, wishing that it was nearer. There was an odd flash of light and a feeling of vertigo and he was outside the house in question.

 

Shocked to see Angel appear out of thin air, Demetri sensed something was off. Before he had a chance to investigate his suspicions there was a loud knock on the door. He walked over to it to see a very Khanarin Angelus standing on the other side. He sniffed over at 

Angel, figuring out the man was human. Somehow whatever had happened had split the human and demon aspects of Angelus apart, leaving him as two very separate entities.

Angelus noticed the human him sitting on the floor, and his beloved Aerithika sprawled out behind him. He rushed over to her. It was then that Angel saw Buffy and gathered her into his arms. The fog cleared and the room lost it's cool as the six unconscious people woke up. Aerithika blinked, staring into Angelus' eyes and she heard Buffy gasp. Looking over she was a very human Angel, holding Buffy. 

"Dear lord," Giles gasped, taking off his glasses.

"What happened?" Daemion asked, staring at the two identical men.

"You all started saying the same thing and then Willow preformed a spell very similar to the soul curse. Then all your eyes started glowing," Demetri answered. " But something went seriously wrong, all things considering."

 

Angel sat at the table next to Buffy on the same side as Demetri, Jessica, Giles and Dominic. Across from them sat Angelus, Aerithika, Xander, Spike, Daemion and Willow. Each of them had a book in front of them, trying to find out exactly what had happened. The odd thing that every one of them had noticed was that not one of them had a single scratch and that they all felt in better health than they ever had before.

Aerithika yawned, looking over at the clock. When she saw it was after midnight, she said, "Guys, it's really late. I think you should go home." 

Giles had agreed to let Angel stay with him for the time being.

 

After everyone else had left, Angelus remained sitting on his seat, staring at Aerithika. With a grin she told him, "You can stay in the guest room. It's the third door on the right."

"Will you tuck me in?" He asked a wicked smile on his face.

"Yeah, you big baby."

After he had settled down for the evening he reached over and grabbed Aerithika's had kissing the palm gently. She pulled her hand away and leaned over to give him a quick goodnight kiss. The kiss quickly grew deeper and he pulled her down to him.

 

At about two a.m., Spike came in the room and turned off the light on the sleeping pair.

At about five a.m. Aerithika awoke curled up between Angelus and Xander. Apparently, he had climbed into bed with her after she had fallen asleep. She closed her eyes and fell back into a deep slumber. Angelus hated surprises, so when he woke up an hour later to see Aerithika fast asleep with Xander's head on her chest he was a little angry. This wasn't the first time that something like this had happened but it had always been Spike's blue eyes he saw and not the chocolate colored orbs of Xander.

Two sets of brown eyes locked, neither one making a sound as Xander's head rose and fell with the movement of Aerithika's chest as she slept.

Finally understanding the dynamics of this little family he belonged to, Angelus smiled, showing no signs of anger or jealousy. He reached his hand out and brushed a dark brown lock off of Xander's forehead, nodding his approval.

Xander nodded and closed his eyes, falling back asleep. Grinning, Angelus closed his own eyes.

 

When the alarm went off a half hour later, Xander and Aerithika woke up. Both took a shower and got dressed for school. Spike had breakfast ready for them and they ate in comfortable silence before he drove them to school. Spike and Angelus planned to go on a picnic in the park later that day. 

 

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Angelus walked with a smile on his face soaking up the sunlight. Spike had a cocky grin on his face as he watched his Sire acting like he had over a year ago. 

"Having fun, Peaches?" Spike asked wrapping his arm around Angelus' waist.

"Yes, I am, William," Angelus responded, throwing his arm around Spike's shoulders.

The two former vampires walked like this for over an hour and a half, not caring about the odd looks they were receiving. Angelus looked at his watch and saw it was almost time for Xander and Aerithika to be getting off of school. Guiding Spike in that direction, they got there just as school ended.

 

When Aerithika and Xander walked over to them, Aerithika wrapped her arm around Angelus' waist and Xander wrapped his around Spike's. They made an odd little group, but gave no notice to people's reaction. Cordelia and her group of friends walked by and just to mess with their stuck up little brains Aerithika kissed Angelus and Xander kissed Spike.

Cordelia made a rude comment not watching where she was going and walked right into Angel, who was chatting with Willow, one arm around Buffy.

Cordelia did a double take, looking from him to Angelus, who had just walked over with Aerithika, Xander and Spike.

 

They decided that they were all going to go to the Bronze, and Daemion would come with if they had to drag him kicking and screaming. It was Friday night and they were all dressed to kill, but they all already had significant others. Willow even had a date, 

Dominic.

Most people were accepting of the pairings and those who said anything received icy glares. Cordelia had walked over and made a comment to Angelus about his hanging out with losers and Xander had walked up, gotten in her face and hissed, "The only loser I see here is you Cordelia. If you would pull your head out of your ass for one second, you'd see that there was nothing wrong with us." He grabbed a smirking Angelus' hand and dragged him out on the dance floor for a slow dance.

They all had fun, Daemion included. He had finally accepted how things were in this family.

By the end of the last slow number Aerithika, Spike, Xander, Angelus and Daemion had decided to go to Willy's for a cold drink.

 

Giggling as Spike fumbled drunkenly with the keys, Aerithika kissed Daemion. Spike finally got the door open, but not before Angelus had ripped Xander and Aerithika's shirts off.

Slamming the door and locking it they stumbled into the master bedroom. They set an all time group clothing removal record. Groans, moans of pleasure and laughter could be heard from outside. When they finally fell asleep it was hard to tell where one body ended and another began as they lay in a twisted pile of flesh.

As the sun rose outside, a soft glow filled the room but none of the sleeping occupants saw it appear or disappear.

 

Three weeks had passed since Angel and Angelus had split. They hadn't found a single clue to what had happened, not that they were looking too hard. Everyone was pretty happy about how things were going on.

Angel had moved out of Giles' place and into an apartment, Angelus had permanently moved into the house with Aerithika, Spike, Xander and Daemion.

Jessica and Demetri had once more left town. And Willow and Dominic had started hanging out a lot.

When they had went to where the Anointed One had been staying they found it deserted, they found a similar scene when they went to Ethan and Kristen's lair.

 

Kristen sat pouting in the crypt she shared with her twin brother, Ethan.

"What's wrong, Kris?" he asked sitting down next to her.

"Nothing is wrong. I am just pissed about having to leave our place and move into a yucky crypt. We are so much better than this, Ethan. We are supposed to have a mansion and servants."

Ethan smirked, having heard her say pretty much the same thing on numerous occasions.

"We'll work something out, Kristen. We always do."

She nodded and laid her head on Ethan's shoulder, "Why do you always take such good care of me, Ethan?"

 

Buffy walked hand in hand with Angel towards her home. She was going to introduce him to her mother. As they walked in the door they were met by Joyce. She gave Buffy and Angel a puzzled look asking, "Buffy, who's this?"

Angel reached out his hand and Joyce shook it, "My name is Angel. It is a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Summers."

"So, Angel, do you go to school around here?" 

"No. I graduated last year."

Buffy gave him an approving look at his fib.

"How old are you and what do you do for a living?"

"I'm nineteen. And I work with Buffy's friends William and Daemion."

"I see. Buffy, get us all something to drink."

"Yes mom," Buffy said with a grin.

From the kitchen Buffy heard her mother ask, "So what exactly do you do?"

"We work for a private businessman, doing research and whatnot."

"Oh, I see."

Buffy walked back in the room carrying three soda's and sat down next to Angel, "Here you go."

They talked for a half hour and then Buffy and Angel got up to go.

Joyce shook Angel's hand once more and pulled Buffy aside. She whispered in Buffy's ear, "He's a nice boy. I approve of him." With a wink she waved them off.

 

Later that evening Angelus was walking down the aisles of the supermarket, pushing his cart along. He looked down at his list and over at the shelf, putting a jar of peanut butter in the cart. 

Aerithika and Xander had homework and Spike and Daemion were helping them, which left Angelus to go for groceries. He looked sown at his cart, shaking his head at the amount of sweets and junk food held within. He could tell that Xander, Spike and Aerithika had written the list. At the bottom he saw Daemion's three additions; beer, whiskey and rum.

As he put the final item in the cart he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around he saw Buffy's mother standing there with a big grin on her face.

"Hello Angel," she said with an amused grin. "I didn't think I'd see you again so soon."

Angelus smirked, "I'm sorry Mrs. Summers, but I think you are mistaking me with Angel. The name is Angelus."

"Oh, I'm sorry. The two of you look almost identical."

Angelus laughed, "We should. He's my twin brother."

Looking down at his cart he was glad that the alcohol was hidden under the food when she asked, "So when do the two of you turn twenty?"

"In a few months. It was nice talking to you, but I have to head home. William is having a chocolate fix and will throw a fit if I'm late."

"Yes, sorry about keeping you. Again it was nice to meet you. I hope we meet again," with that she went off. 

 

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After putting his purchases in the trunk, Angelus drove over to Angel's place. He told his human duplicate about his encounter with Mrs. Summers.

"Good coverup," Angel said with a laugh. Then he told Angelus about his own talk with her.

Angelus glanced at the clock and stood up telling Angel, "I have to go. The others are waiting for me."

"Okay, no problem Angelus. Thanks for visiting. I should have thought to tell you about being introduced to Buffy's mom."

Angelus walked to his car and drove back to his house. With a small laugh he realized that the oldest two people in his family were home on a Friday night working on High School homework.

Angelus walked into the house and put the groceries away. He went to the dining room to meet the others, only to find it abandoned. Slowly Angelus walked to the living room, just to find it as empty as the dining room. Hearing a soft moan from the master bedroom Angelus got a wicked grin on his face. 

He walked back to the kitchen and grabbed a can of whipped cream, a bottle of chocolate sauce and a bottle of wine and walked to the bedroom. He could smell the others in the room and knew they could tell he was on the other side of the door. With a grin he walked in.

 

The doorbell rang and woke the five sleeping figures in the bedroom. Spike slipped on a pair of boxers and walked to the front door. Yawning he opened it to see a young man with startling red hair and chocolate brown eyes standing on the porch. The man got a confused look on his face and said, "Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry. I thought that this was Aerithika's house."

"It is. Can I tell her who is here for her?"

"Her son, Rialian Pryce."

"Okay. Why don't you come in and wait in the living room. I'll go get her."

"Thanks."

They walked into the living room and Rialian sat down on the couch while Spike went to get Aerithika.

 

Spike walked back into the bedroom and looked at Aerithika, "Babe, your son, Rialian, is here. He's in the living room."

She slipped on her jeans and a tank top and Xander pulled on a pair of jeans. At Spike's puzzled look Xander said, "He's my son."

With that they left the bedroom and walked to the living room. Rialian gave them each a hug and they sat down to talk. After about five minutes Daemion, Angelus and Spike joined them. They spent the next few hours talking and when Rialian started to yawn Aerithika told him that he could use one of the guest rooms.

 

The next morning Rialian woke up and walked to the kitchen to see his parents and Spike, Angelus and Daemion all sitting at the table eating breakfast. With a yawn he sat down only to have a plate put in front of him. He noticed that his parents and Angelus, Spike and Daemion were all dressed in leather.

"What's going on?" he asked as he finished his coffee.

"We have business," Aerithika said, tying her hair back.

"Just got a lead on an enemy," Xander continued.

"So all of you are working on the side of light, ridding the world of the plague of evil," Rialian said with a grin.

"That about sums it up," Spike replied.

 

They left Rialian and went to Buffy's to pick her up. After Giles' phone call she was ready. They walked to the park where they met up with Willow, Angel and Giles, and then headed off to the caves. Weapons ready, they charged into the cave. As soon as they entered they jumped by over five dozen vampires. They fought with a vengeance and within a few minutes the vampires numbers had dropped by half. 

The battle continued and Buffy and Willow fell back to the outer edges by Giles and Angel, but still continued to fight. The main attack was on Aerithika, Xander, Spike, Angelus and Daemion and they were fiercely fighting with fang and claw. As the dust from the last vampire fell to the ground they rushed deeper into the cave. 

They had traveled about fifty feet when they were attacked once again. Eyes flashing, the Khanarins led the attack.

Willow raised her hands and a ball of fire appeared. She tossed it into the fray. As the vampires burst into flames a soot covered Aerithika gave her a thumbs up.

They rushed deeper in until they found a chamber that was decorated like some morbid throne room. Seated on a throne of bone, surrounded by vampires and demons, was the Anointed One.

Aerithika sent a silent command to her companions and they flanked him. As they were attacked by his minions, Willow created a barrier around him.

He screamed in outrage as his followers were slaughtered one by one. When they were all dead he sat alone, eyes wide in fear as they closed in on him. He yelled, "Kristen! Ethan! Help me!"

"Sorry, they won't be helping you," Aerithika said grabbing the small vampire by the throat and driving a stake into his heart.

As his body turned to ash they began searching for the twins. They found a back entrance and a fresh set of tire tracks.

"They're long gone, aren't they?" Spike said when he saw the tracks.

"Yeah. They always are chickens when they are outnumbered," Aerithika said with a grin. 

 

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As they sped out of Sunnydale Kristen gripped her twin brother's hand. Tears of anger, rage, fear and pain streamed down her face. They knew that they couldn't stay in town, not after what had just happened. They drove straight through of California, and the rest of the United States, only stopping to feed and fill up their tank. When they hit the East Coast they boarded a plane for Europe. Settling down in a remote village, the twins finally felt safe. There they stayed for the next few years. They kept out of contact with their family and planned how they would make things better somehow.

 

Walking home from the caves covered in dirt and grime, the forces of light headed into town. Aerithika's hair had fallen out of her scrunchy and she walked with a slight limp.

Walking into the house she was shocked to see Demetri and Jessica sitting in the living room. 

They saw her appearance and were about to ask her what had happened when the others walked in looking in a very similar state.

Aerithika raised her hand to quiet Demetri and said, "As much as I'd like to talk, I'm beat and to take a shower and a long nap. I'll talk to the two of you later, much later." With that she walked to the bathroom to take a long shower. 

 

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End file.
